Mass Effect 3 features canned ME2 Citadel mission

One of the most iconic environments in the first Mass Effect was the Citadel. Fans were outraged that the location was practically non-existent in Mass Effect 2. BioWare reveals that several Citadel-based missions were planned for ME2, but they were eventually axed. At least one of them, though, will be featured in Mass Effect 3.

“There was a Mass Effect 2 plot that was a kind of callback to the first Mass Effect that was going to be on the Citadel, and we cut it,” Mass Effect 3’s lead writer Mac Walters said while talking to Official Xbox Magazine UK. “

BioWare considered adding more Citadel quests but decided against it. Mass Effect 3 will revive at least one of those lost plot threads.

“There was a Mass Effect 2 plot that was a kind of callback to the first Mass Effect that was going to be on the Citadel, and we cut it. But now it’s made a resurrection in Mass Effect 3, so I’m happy, but I can’t say what it is. That’s the nice thing about trilogies, sometimes you get a second chance.”

Walters admits that the multiple storylines and multiple endings of Mass Effect 2 were really tough to write and plan out, especially considering the fact that they had to lay a foundation for ME3.

“I don’t think I’d call it ‘trapped’,” he spoke on the topic.

“They’re more hurdles. Sometimes they’re hurdles that we’ve given ourselves, so we kind of smack ourselves in the head and say ‘What the hell were we thinking? Why did we do that?’

“The classic example is ‘Hey, let’s make the ending of Mass Effect 2 a suicide mission where all your henchmen can possibly die, and Shepard can even die!’ Oh right… and then we’re gonna do another game after that. What the hell are we gonna do with all those guys?”

Having almost wrapped up Mass Effect 3 now, Walters says he wants to move on from the universe, despite having a soft spot for it, having worked on it for so long.

“I definitely have some writers who want to try something else, to move on. For me, personally, it’ll be over seven years of Mass Effect – I have a soft spot for the universe, but it’s easy to get a little weary.

“But I’d be much more sad if someone said “yeah, you can never do anything Mass Effect ever again,” and no one’s ever said that to me specifically. I’d rather take a break, then come back to revel in it again and enjoy it.”